On September 2, 2023, the Law Ministry issued a notification regarding the committee for ‘One Nation One Election’. The committee is chaired by former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, and consists of seven other esteemed members. This includes Home Minister Amit Shah, Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Ghulam Nabi Azad, NK Singh, Subhash C. Kashyap, Harish Salve, and Sanjay Kothari.
The panel will start functioning right away and provide recommendations as soon as possible.
What Is “One Nation, One Election (ONOE)”?
‘One nation, one election’ or ONOE is a concept about conducting Lok Sabha and state assembly elections together across India.
Prior to 1967, all Indian elections took place at the same time.
Elections are currently held for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies separately, either at the end of the government’s five-year term or if the government is dissolved early.
The practice of simultaneous elections stopped after 1967. This happened when some state assemblies were dissolved early in 1968-69.
For the first time, the Lok Sabha was also dissolved a year early in 1970 leading to mid-term elections in 1971.
Evaluating the Concept of “One Nation, One Election”: Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages Of The “One Nation, One Election”
Reducing Expenses
A primary argument for holding simultaneous elections is the potential to decrease costs. Reports show that the 2019 Lok Sabha elections resulted in an expenditure of an enormous Rs 60,000 crore. This figure encompasses the money spent by both the political parties participating in the elections and the funds used by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct the elections.
It will increase efficiency in Administration
Supporters of synchronised elections believe they could make the nation run more smoothly. They argue this because the usual slow periods during voting times would be less of an issue. Normal administrative tasks often get interrupted because of election duties.
It will guarantee consistency in policies
Having simultaneous elections helps keep policies consistent. When elections are announced, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) prevents any significant new policy from being declared or put into action. This code affects how government officials operate. If we hold central and state elections at the same time, we could remove the MCC. This way, new public welfare projects wouldn’t need to pause during the election period.
It will boost voter turnout
According to the Law Commission, conducting simultaneous elections would enhance voter turnout by providing greater convenience for individuals to cast their votes in a single instance.
Disadvantages Of Simultaneous Elections
It requires constitutional amendments
Simultaneous elections would need amendments to the constitution. This is to align the terms of the state legislative assemblies with the Lok Sabha. Moreover, it would be necessary to amend the Representation of the People Act and other parliamentary regulations.
National Issues will overshadow regional issues
Regional parties are worried about simultaneous elections. They think that national issues will get more attention than local ones. Also, they believe they can’t match the campaign funds and strategies of national parties.
Voters may end up voting on national issues even for state elections
In 2015, the IDFC Institute conducted a study. The study revealed that if state and Lok Sabha elections happen at the same time, there’s a 77% chance that voters will pick the same winning party or alliance. But, if the elections are six months apart, only 61% of voters choose the same party.
This suggests that voters often vote based on national issues in state elections too. This could favour larger national parties, while regional parties might miss out. Also, if there’s a popular trend for an individual or issue, it can lead to unchecked power.
It will harm federalism
Moreover, concerns arise regarding the potential difficulties arising from concurrent elections in the context of the country’s federal governance structure.
It is against the spirit of democracy
There is a debate about whether simultaneous elections go against the principles of democracy by enforcing an artificial election cycle and restricting voter choices.
Law Commission’s Draft Report On Simultaneous Elections
On August 30, 2018, the Law Commission of India, chaired by Justice B.S. Chauhan, presented its draft report on Simultaneous Elections. This comprehensive report delves into the legal and constitutional aspects surrounding the conduct of simultaneous elections.
Key draft recommendations include:
Conduct Of Simultaneous Elections
The Commission has acknowledged that holding simultaneous elections is not feasible under the current framework of the Constitution. To achieve simultaneous elections for both the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies, appropriate amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act 1951, and the Rules of Procedure of Lok Sabha and state Assemblies would be necessary. Additionally, the Commission has suggested that a minimum of 50% of the states should ratify these constitutional amendments.
The Commission noted that holding simultaneous elections will: (i) save public money, (ii) reduce burden on the administrative setup and security forces, (iii) ensure timely implementation of government policies, and (iv) ensure that the administrative machinery is engaged in development activities rather than electioneering.
No-Confidence Motion
The Commission observed that the passage of a no-confidence motion could potentially shorten the tenure of the Lok Sabha or state assembly. In order to address this concern, it recommended replacing the traditional ‘no-confidence motion’ with a more constructive approach known as a ‘constructive vote of no-confidence’, which would require appropriate amendments.
Under this new system, the government could only be removed if there is a demonstrated confidence in an alternative government. Additionally, the Commission proposed the consideration of limiting the number of such motions that can be initiated during the term of the House or Assembly.
Hung House/Assembly
A hung House or Assembly can occur when no single party secures enough votes to form the government. The Commission has put forward some suggestions to deal with this situation. Initially, the President or Governor should allow the biggest party, along with its alliance partners, to try to form the government.
If they can’t form the government, then a meeting involving all parties could help break the deadlock. If all else fails, the solution could be to hold mid-term elections. However, the Commission suggests that these new elections should only complete the term left unfinished by the previous assembly, not start a fresh five-year term. The Commission recommended amendments to the law to reflect this.
Amendment To Anti-Defection Laws
The Commission has put forth a recommendation to amend the anti-defection laws, emphasising the need for timely resolution of all disqualification matters arising from defection. It is proposed that the presiding officer should make a decision within a period of six months.